The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-26

'WLat O. Yexing ceincidence! Our exam
! ming magistrate md our coroner are away
and will be absent until tomorrow. Now, an
/ a case of this kind, it is my opinion that /,
/ would be better to await their return before
investigating the matter any further"
az believe you are right, replied the Col
onel. ''Beaides, this is no. case that de-
| ms nds en Immediate examination. This cot
| I'm has been buried fully ten or twelve
monfhs: = delas of twenty-four hours can
gurely do no harm"
l9was therefore decided that they would
await The return Of the judge and the coro-
| ner. In elepositing the object upon the Office
table Corporal Pobeun gave start.
! Hello" exclaimed he, here is senGthlng
most superlatively pecuhar!"
'What is it," asked the Colonel.
'.See for yourself Colonel, A piece OF
linen is sticking out of the hole made by
the plowehaIe, and there is mark on the
| end of it,"
THAT'S col" said the Colonel. well!
well! that criminal Goes not seem to have
been very shrewd! Still, how can we find
| out whose name these initials stand for?A
| Anyhow, su ggested the Public Prosecu-
tor, there is one thing we can Go. Let nF
send for the five or six laundresses that ere
| in Briqueviile. If mistake not one OF them
will give MS u ciew."
"a good idea II exclaimed the Colonel, ''a
very good idea
An hour later the six Briqueville washer.
women were collected together and each IL
! turn, held her nose between her thumb anG
| foretinger as she stopped over the strange,
inodorous boz, from which hung the bit OF
! linen that was to bring all their sagaclty into
play.
Suddenly one of them exclaimed:
81 know the mark! 1t is Mile. Aslae's
linen"
Who is Mile. Aglae?"
"a customer of mime who died about two
years ago."
DO you know what has become of bel
| hnen?n
"Why, of course, do. Her servant in.
herited Of her clothes as well rs OF every
thing else. Sne now resides i'll the house %
her dead mistress"
The Public Prosecutor and the Colonel ex
changed look of triumph.
4 Just then Corporal Poireau, who had beer
examining the box very closely. exclaimed
"Why. this is still more pecuiGr!"
"What is the matter nows" asked The
Colonel. 81
THE ma tier is. Colonel, think perceiy.
| the end of a bone! You may see for your
self, Colonel it is really the end OF bone"
$50 it is, said the Colonel. Look, Mon
siellr lie ProcareW, and see it it isn't"
The Public Prosecutor did as directed
For a little while he had felt somewhat ex
cited over tbe turn affairs were taking. The
care was becoming more and more interest
ing. 1t was n lucky windfau to him. II,
sat down ana scribbled few words on
piece OF paper.
Take this 60 the telegraph Office, ~ sait
he. ut is dispatch to the Minister of Jus
tice! And now," added he, conlplacentl.
rpbbing his hands together, we shall leav,
this box to be opened by the examining
magistrate and the coroner. They will fine
| their work already done for them. AS fo
you, worthy woman, lead the way to TIN
house you spoke of"
AS they went along the attorney could no
conceal mis- satisfaction.
well, Colonel, what do you think? w
have got q fine case, haven't we?"
"a fine case, indeed, replied the Colonel
"a first class murder! That VIII be tooth
some morsel for the jury!"
-.
Peacefully knitting at her window, Nile
Gertrude necrly swooned away when she say
her home invaded by SO formidable an ARA.
of authorities. But how great soever nigh
have been her surprise, it in nowise equalet
the establishment of the invaders, who stoot
before her with open mouths, as if trans
fixed. The seventy springs of the worth,
maiden, and the hairy treble wart whiel
softeped the austere outlines Of her nose
| produced on their minds an impression the
had not expected.
'5apristi, = whispered the Colonel to tn
Public Prosecutor, 1.-The lady seems to m
rather too ripe to have had anything to d
with crime of this nature
Although visibly discounted, the attorne
put on sickly smile.
Matters had to be explained, however
They were in most satisfactory name
by Monsieur GrGgoire. the beadle of Sain
Ursula, who threw so much light on til
affair that it only made the Public Proseeu
tors vexation all the more evident.
A pug 49, Was 1t possible7 1t was s. pos
sille that it was the truth. The prosecute
had to believe the evidence of his own eyes
when the skeleton of Mira, Invested of ii
winding sheet, lay upon the Office table, ties
tifying to the truth of what Monsieur Gre
goire had advanced.
They still laugh about this affair in Brique
vile. and the merry townsmen predict tina
4 it will make Monsieur lie PIocureurs fortune
Az for Corporal Poireau, he stoutly mair
tains that, in oil his many years of service a
q genda rme. he never was connected with
case which WAS so very pc cu-li-ar!
..tu.! 4. ,E j. JOSEPH MoNTEr